Pipeline Identification Colours

Industrial Paint - Pipeline Identification Colours

The British Standard 1710 provides the acceptable standards for identifying pipes of all kinds. This includes everything from label locations and
pipe content information to essential colour coding. Here at Firwood, we manufacture a diverse range of top coats for industrial applications, available in
more than 300 different shades.

Our team are frequently asked about the latest industry standards for painting pipelines, so we thought we'd offer a simple, comprehensive guide to
understanding what colours your pipes need to be in order to meet recent legislation.

Identification Colours For Industry Pipelines!

This guide will help you to select the correct colours of paint as laid out inBritish Standard 1710:2014 – Identification of pipelines and services, and is essential information for anyone looking for industrial paints of any kind.

The following table provides the basic identification of colours for fluid supply pipes, ventilation ducting and electrical conduits, amongst many other
kinds of delivery pipes.

Pipe Contents

Identification Colour Reference

BS 4800 Colour

Reference

Water

Green

12 D 45

Steam

Silver Grey

10 A 03

Oils - mineral, vegetable, or animal combustible liquids

Brown

06 C 39

Gases (except air) in

gaseous or liquid condition

Yellow Ochre

08 C 35

Acids and alkalis

Violet

22 C 37

Air

Light Blue

20 E 51

Other liquids

Black

00 E 53

Electrical services and ventilation ducts

Orange

06 E 51

When your pipelines are to be painted in a decorative manner, the basic identification colour should be universally applied in bands of, approximately,
150mm width at all points where easy content identification might be required. For example, this could be close to flanges, valves, meters, wall
penetrations and more. It is worth mentioning that most bright identification colours are likely to require a white undercoat to ensure that the colour
itself is as clear and easy to identify as possible.

Safety Colours

BS 4800 reference

Fire Red

04 E 53

Danger Yellow

08 E 51

Potable water Blue

18 E 53

Other Colours

BS 4800 reference

Crimson

04 D 45

Emerald Green

14 E 53

Salmon Pink

04 C 33

Yellow

10 E 53

Safety colour codes, and optional colour code indications for general building services, are shown in the following tables. Where the pipes are painted in
decorative colours, then the code colour should be applied in bands 100 mm wide between two 150 mm bands of the basic identification colour.

Basic identification colour

<-----------150mm----------->

Colour code indication

<-------------100mm------------>

Basic identification colour

<------------150mm---------->

Water

Drinking

Green

Auxiliary Blue

Green

Cooling (primary)

Green

White

Green

Boiler feed

Green

Crimson

White

Crimson

Green

Condensate

Green

Crimson

E Green

Crimson

Green

Chilled

Green

White

E Green

White

Green

Central heating < 100°C

Green

Blue

Crimson

Blue

Green

Central heating > 100°C

Green

Crimson

Blue

Crimson

Green

Cold down service

Green

White

Blue

White

Green

Hot water supply

Green

White

Crimson

White

Green

Hydraulic power

Green

Salmon Pink

Green

Sea river, untreated

Green

Fire extinguishing

Green

Red

Green

Compressed air

Light Blue

Vacuum

Light Blue

White

Light Blue

Steam

Silver Grey

Drainage

Black

Electrical conduits & ducts

Orange

Natural gas

Yellow Ochre

Yellow

Yellow Ochre

Oils

Diesel fuel

Brown

White

Brown

Furnace fuel

Brown

Lubricating

Brown

Emerald Green

Brown

Hydraulic power

Brown

Salmon Pink

Brown

Transformer

Brown

Crimson

Brown

Acids & alkalis

Violet

The Best Up-To-Date Advice From Industrial Paint Professionals

Here at Firwood, we are proud to offer not only the very best advice, but also the very best in industrial paints for a diverse range of
uses. If you're looking for easily identifiable, hard-wearing paints which are suitable for a variety of unique situations, get in touch with our
professional team of industry experts today.

For more information, please don't hesitate to contact us via email on websales@firwood.co.uk or,
alternatively, you can call us directly on 01204 525231.

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